Bright Skies (Multi - Season Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt #48: Life, T)
This prompt makes me want to write Sky/Bridge fluff, just because I couldn't here. But the muse isn't in the mood, and I can't come up with any inspiration. >.<
So instead, I give you the amusement that is 'Jen'.
Author/: Tsukino Akume
Fandom/: Power Rangers Time Force moving into S.P.D., multiple Rangers from each season
Characters/: Wes (Time Force), multiple Rangers from other teams (Literally too many to list)
Pairings/: Post - Wes/Eric, Rocky/Adam, Shane/Dustin, Hunter/Cam, Carter/Dana, Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, Carlos/Ronny, Jason/Taylor, Conner/Ethan, Justin/Rose, Tommy/Kimberly, Tyzonn/Mack, Cassie/OC, Nick/Maddison, Zack/Aisha, Trent/Kira, Post - Billy/Cestria. Future Ryan/Carter and Billy/Hayley. More couples will most likely be mentioned, but not shown.
prompt/: #48: Life
Rating/: T (For non - graphic mentions of people having babies and being violent with one another)
Disclaimer/: I don't own the Power Rangers, but if Disney's hiring any new writers I volunteer.
Summary/: When Wes' life starts to fall apart, an accident gives him a chance at a fresh start in New Tech City, with Space Patrol Delta. But even a new life has its ups and downs - and weird friends. Meanwhile, Eric tries to move on.
Warnings/: A mentally handicapped person living in a medical facility, angst, male and female slash, non-cemented couples (In otherwords, pairings that will be separated), children created by scientific means, character death
Author's Notes/: I think the only thing I really like about this prompt is Jen. And maybe Rocky. Other than that, meh.
For reference, Sky is now fifteen.
Wes looked up as the front door slammed, followed by Sky's bedroom door a minute later. He debated to himself for a moment, wondering if he should try now, or later.
There was a soft whine by his feet, and he looked down with a smile at the Golden Retriever curled up beside him. "I take it that's a 'go now'?" he asked ruefully.
She whined again, nosing his hand.
He patted her side fondly. "All right, you win." He slapped his hand against the side of his leg as he stood. "Come on, Jen."
She bounded to her feet, tail beating happily against the air. He caught the handle of her harness and allowed her to pull him along.
He didn't really *need* a seeing-eye dog with the technology Cam had fitted him with. It allowed him to 'see' well enough to keep from tripping over anything on his own. But Sky and Eric had both been very insistent that a guide dog wouldn't hurt, and Vanessa had laughingly agreed just to side against him.
As guide dogs went, she was far too spoiled. She had the training as a working dog, but Sky had been known to treat her more like the family pet more than once, and he'd caught Eric sneaking her food under the table when he thought no one would notice. As a result she was a little too friendly around strangers, but thankfully remained loyal to both her owner and his family.
Her name was entirely Sky's fault. When they'd picked her out as a puppy, he'd absently commented that since dogs were supposed to be 'man's best friend', she should be named after Wes' best friend. There'd been a few arguments about the merits of naming her Eric or Vanessa - which both namesakes were violently opposed to - but they eventually decided that would be too confusing. So instead, she was dubbed 'Jen', a name which often made him wonder what the real Jen might have thought of that.
"Sky?" he called, knocking gently on the door.
Jen whined, pawing anxiously at the frame.
There was a long moment of silence, and at last he could hear a grumbled "Come in."
Jen bolted from his side the moment he opened the door, racing to the side of the bed and whimpering as she tried to nose at Sky. The teen sighed, rolling over and reaching out to scratch her ears. "I'm fine," he told her. "It's not a big deal."
Wes raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like it was. And you know Jen hates to see you upset." he pointed out, sinking down on the bed.
Sky sighed again, looking up at his dad. "I broke up with Bridge," he said bluntly.
Wes started, and fought to keep his dismay from showing. It wasn't news; Sky had talked to him before about how things were going with Bridge, and that it wasn't working out. He'd done his best to be supportive for whatever Sky wanted to choose, but secretly he'd been hoping they'd get through it. He'd always liked Bridge, and he thought he was good for Sky.
"How'd it go?" he asked finally.
Sky made a frustrated nose, absently petting Jen as she whined at him again. "He made me promise we'd always be 'bestest friends'," he muttered.
Wes raised his eyebrows. "And ... this is bad?"
He could almost *picture* the exasperated look Sky was giving him. "He was totally faking again. He *knows* I hate it when he pretends everything's fine even though it's not, but he did it anyway. I said it wasn't working out between us, and he just stood there, blinking at me, and then gave me that *stupid* smile!"
Wes cringed internally. 'That stupid smile' Sky had always hated was something everyone knew Bridge had inherited from Rocky. Whenever something bothered one of them, they both flashed the brightest smile they could and acted like everything was fine. It was frustrating, because it was the most obvious way to know that they really *were* upset about something. "And that's when he made you promise?" he asked.
Sky shook his head. "He said he kinda figured that, but it's okay, because he's just not the one for me. But he wants me to find the one for me, because he wants me to be happy." He sighed, sounding confused and annoyed. "And *then* he said we'd always be bestest friends, and made me promise we would."
Wes was quiet for a moment. "Well, at least you won't lose your friendship," he said at last. "You and Bridge have been friends since he was born; I'd hate to see you lose that."
"But now everything's going to be awkward!" Sky protested. "I mean, it's not like I can't just stand around while he's babbling and not remember what it's like to - " He cut himself off abruptly. "It's going to be weird acting like friends again."
Wes looked at him suspiciously, but didn't push it. "Would you rather not be friends at all?"
"Of course not," Sky sighed. "It's not like I have a lot of friends to begin with," he added, grumbling. He sat up suddenly, looking at his father with interest. "Is this what you went through with Eric?"
Wes winced. Now that Sky knew now about the former relationship he'd had with Eric, and the fact that they'd had children together, he was never shy when it came to asking them about it. More than once he'd dropped hints that he thought it was too bad things hadn't worked out between them, and while he claimed to accept it when they reminded him that they were just friends now, he still had a habit of looking at them speculatively once in awhile.
"It wasn't quite the same for me and Eric," he reminded him at last. "We weren't around each other all the time when we broke up, like you and Bridge are."
"But you were at first," Sky argued.
He sighed. "The first time, when we were still working with the Silver Guardians, yes, we were. But we weren't really talking to each other then. We didn't try to be friends until After."
'After' was code for when he'd woken up from his coma. 'Before' was what they referred to the time before that final battle with Mirloc as, and the few times that the coma itself was brought up, it was called 'Then'. None of them particularly liked to talk about it, Wes most of all, and everyone respected his wishes.
"Well, what about After? You guys still had to try being friends after everything."
Wes sighed again. "Yeah, we did." he agreed. He paused, trying to think of how to explain. "It's ... the feelings you have never really go away," he said at last. "They fade a little, but you still find yourself thinking about things you used to do together before. It's more that you just have to try and keep yourself from doing what you would have when you were together. Yeah, it hurts, but ... sometimes it's for the best."
"So you still think about what things were like when you and Eric were together?" Sky asked.
He didn't really *want* to answer, but if it helped Sky right now ... "All the time," he said quietly. He let out a slow breath. "I never cared about anyone else the way I loved Eric."
"Loved?" Sky repeated skeptically.
"Loved," he told him firmly. "And you can stop dropping hints already. Eric and I are *not* getting back together. We've both moved on."
"If you've both moved on, why are you still single?" Sky asked slyly.
"Sky .... " he warned.
"Fine, fine. Sorry." Sky sighed, flopping back on the bed again. "So you're saying things are always going to be weird with Bridge, and I just have to learn to live with it?"
Wes gave him a sympathetic look, reaching out to rub his shoulder. "Unfortunately, sometimes that's just the way life happens."
"Life sucks," Sky grumbled.
Wes swatted him lightly. "Watch your mouth. You're spending too much time with Dru."
Sky sighed again. After a few moments, he shifted around on the bed to make more room, patting the blankets. "Up, Jen."
Jen was on the bed in moments, snuggled up against Sky's side and panting happily.
Wes gave his son an amused look. "Whose dog is she supposed to be again?"
Sky shrugged unapologetically, already ruffling Jen's coat. "You're the one who kept saying you didn't really need a guide dog anyway."
"Which I was outvoted on," Wes reminded him, leaning over to pat Jen's head before he stood. "Stay. Good girl."
Jen whined, wagging her tail slightly as she watched him head for the door, but remained beside Sky.
Sky frowned up at him a little. "You sure, Dad?"
Wes smiled at him. "You need her more than I do right now," he told him gently, shutting the door behind him.
****
"Hey."
Wes froze, swallowing uncomfortably. At last he glanced up, forcing a smile at Rocky. "Hey."
Rocky joined him at the small table in the break room, sipping absently on his coffee. "How's Sky?" he asked abruptly.
"Upset," Wes said eventually. Was it normal for things to be this awkward between friends when your kids broke up? "How's Bridge doing?"
"He says he's fine, but we can hear him crying sometimes at night," Rocky told him bluntly.
Wes winced.
"But he's starting to let Heart sneak into his room, and that seems to help."
"He always does push everything aside for her," Wes murmured, thinking of how protective Bridge was of his younger sister. No one was sure if it was simply because they were more or less siblings, or because Heart had the same aura empathy as Bridge.
"It's not fair, you know," Rocky commented absently. "I always said I'd beat up anyone that hurt Bridge. Even warned Sky when he first asked him out. But now that they've broken up, I keep wondering how I'm supposed to beat up a kid I still remember changing diapers for."
"That might make things difficult," Wes agreed after a pause. He hesitated. "For what it's worth, I wish he hadn't."
"Me, too," Rock sighed. He glanced over at him after another moment. "So ... since we can't beat up each other's kids, what are we supposed to do now?"
"Spar?" Wes offered.
Rocky snorted. "I know better than that. Ever since you got that fancy head piece and started training with R.J., you've been practically lethal." He eyed him suspiciously. "How does that thing work, anyway? Everyone keeps telling me you're not actually *seeing* anything, but whenever they try to explain, it goes straight over my head. And half the time I really can't tell the difference."
He smiled faintly. "It's sort of a cross between radar and a body heat sensor. There's a pulse in the device that consistently sends back a map in my head. It's *not* like regular sight - but it lets me interpret body language well enough." The smile turned into a grin as he reached up to tap the circle about the size of a dollar coin attached to his right temple. "And I don't always use the SightMap when I spar, you know."
"I know," Rocky shuddered. "That's the worst part."
"Afraid to take up the challenge?" Wes teased. "You're losing your touch, DeSantos."
Rocky stiffened. "Okay, that's it," he growled. "You and me in Sparring Room 3, as soon as shift's over."
"You're on."